Tubing catcher or holder



W. H. McKISSICK. TUBING CATCHER'OR HOLDER. APPLICAHON FILED JULY 2. 1919.

1,374,307. Patented Apr. 12, 1921.

' ICK,

. Improvements in UNITED s'rA'rrs PALFENT Y orrlcc.

WILLIAM H. MCKISSICK, 0F TULSA, OKLAHOMA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF 'IO DUNN MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF OXNARD,

FORNIA.

CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALI- TUBING OATCHER OR HOLDER.

Application filed July 2, 1919. Serial No. 308,079.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. MoKIssa citizen of the United States, residing at Tulsa, in the county of Tulsa and State of Oklahoma, have invented new and useful TubingCatchers or Holders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices for catching and holding oil well tubing, and it has fOr its object to provide improvements of this kind of oil well apparatus, which will be superior in point of relative simplicity and inexpensiveness in construction, taken in conjunction with reliability and positiveness in action, durability and dependability, compactness in form, and convenience in use and in installing and removing the tubing from the well, and superior in efficiency and serviceability.

Devices or apparatus of the nature stated are indispensable in the maintenance of proper conditions incident to the pumping of oil and other wells, in which a long string of tubing is maintained within the well, and within the well casing, an

through which tubing the pumping takes place. This string of tubing is associated with the pump barrel with 1ts valves, and the pump rods are extended down through the tubing and the raised through the tubing and dischargedat the mouthof the well. These strings of tubing are often of great length, frequently two or three or more thousands of feet long, and in 'handlin and disposing the same in the well are su jected to the risk of parting between their ends, which results in the nether or severed ortion of the string falling in the well. hen this portion of the string beneath the break so falls, the pump barrel,

the several lengths of tubing. If the threads are broken or stripped at one of these joints it results in a parting of the string, and

unless some maens are provided for instantaneously checking the fall of the tubing,

the above-mentioned damaging and 1n u-' rious results occur. Many expedients and means have been devised, with more or less which will be likewise oil or other liquid is and the attendant designated success, to perform this automatic and in, stantaneous catching and holding function,- and thus to check the descent of the severed tubing immediately upon the occurrence of the severance. The present invention has for its objects those above mentioned and others which, in the use of the invention, will be found to obtain. In carrying out the invention, I provide suitable slips or devices which operate to expand over a suitable wedge-shaped body or mandrel and which are normally in positions of contract on, and means, involving the inter-relatlon and co-action of factors of friction and gravity, to cause the expansion of these slips immediately upon the parting of the tubing above the slips. These means are not effective when the tubing is being normally lowered into and elevated from the well,- but it becomes effective when an emergency takes place, namely, when the tubing parts above the slips;

'The invention consists in the novel and useful provision, formation, construction,

combin'at1on, assoclation and relative asso- Patented Apr. 12, 1921.

well tubing 1: erein, the-features of the invention being likewise illustrated in conjunction therewith, and the parts being in -normalpositions prior to a break in the tubing;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail transverse sectional view, taken upon the line 0c w Fig. 1, and looking in the direction of the appended arrows; and a Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail transverse sectional view, takenupon the line a2 00 Fig. 1, and looking in the direction of the appended arrows.

Corresponding parts inall the figures are by the same reference characters.-

Referring with particularity to the drawing, A designates a portion of a strin of well casing, which .is to be understoo as lowered within the well-hole produced through the earth formation B, C designating a string of well tubing suspended withvsides of which are dispose serrated slips ;5, adapted to play vertically upon the wedge body 4, and provided each with a downwardly directed leg or stem 6, which 1s hooked at its lower end as at 7, into a chambered ring 8, which slldably surrounds the tubing C, between the mandrel or wedge body 4 and the next lower joint 03. This the legs or stems 6 is adapted to be engaged with tubular mandrel 4 is threaded to the op posed ends of two lenghts c of tubmg, serving as a joint or union for such lengths.

Shdably mounted to surround the tubing length a which is surrounded by the ring 8 is an elongated sleeve 9, provided at its uppercnd with a head or enlargement 9*, to which are attached opposed bowed or arouate leaf springs 9 frictionall engaging the inner surface of the casing such leaf springs extending downwardly within an annular chamber 9 in a similar terminal head or enlargement 9, upon the lower end of the sleeve 9 and adapted to come into contact with the next lower collar or joint d, and to be stopped thereby. The head 9 the ring 8, in the operation of the invention.

A slight clearance is provided, as at 5 in openings in an annular rim 5 formed at the lower end of the mandrel or wedge body 4, .and through these openings range of the slips 5.

The coeflicient of friction of the springs 9. upon the inner wall of the casing A, is less than suflicient to normally overcome the .wei ht of the slip 9 and its connected parts. t us assume that this coefficient of friction is sufficient to support a fifteenpound weight or load, and that the sleeve and disconnected parts have a total weight of thirty pounds. Obviously the head 9 will normally rest upon the collar a3, both 'in lowering the tubing and attendant features through the casing, and when such tubing and features are in position of serv-' ce w1th1n thecasing. If, however, a break 1n the tubing occurs above the mandrel 4,

i and the tubing and attendant featuresbeneathsuch break comes to fall within the casing, the friction of the springs 9 upon the inner wall of the casing will temporarily arrest the descent of the sleeve 9 and its connected parts, the tubing section 0 which the sleevesurrounds thereupon fall- Y forces theslips 5 and and bringing the the head 9*, which their stems 6 upthe slips to be expanded ing through the sleeve, ring 8 into contact with wardly, causin upon the'man rel body .4, and to be en-v gaged with and grip the casing A, in wedge action, between the casing and the mandrel, thus effectively arresting the descent of the tubing through the casing and holding" it well and recovered, the slips 5 being rendered inoperative and ineffective as soon as this elevation of the tubing commences. The break may be repaired and the tubing again lowered, whereupon the feature of the invention will stand ready to perform automatically in case of further breakage, in the manner above pointed out;

The entire invention is relatively simple and extremely effective in operation, and its construction and organization may be widely varied, without departing from the true spirit of the invention.

Having thus disclosed my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent: 1. The combination, with well casing, and a string of tubing in the well casing; of-a Wedge body mounted in connection with the tubing, a slip mounted in connection with the wedge body and adapted to be expanded thereby into position to engage with the casing and suspend the tubing, a weight slidable upon the tubing beneath and independent of theslip, the weight being frictionally engaged with the casing; whereupon the slip will be held to wedge action by the temporarily arrested weight upon abrupt fall of the tubing.

2. The combination, with well casing, and astring of tubing in the well casing; of a wedge body mounted in connection with the tubing, a slip mounted in connection with thewedge body and adapted to be ex anded thereby'into position to engage wit the casing and suspend the tubing, a weight slid'able upon the tubing beneath the slip, and a spring connected with the weight and frictionally enga ed with the casing, whereupon the slip wi 1 be held to wedge action by the temporarily arrested weight upon abrupt fall of the'tubing; the pressure of the spring against the caslng being less than sufficient to normally support the weight.

3. The combination, with well casing, and a string of tubing in the well casing; of a wedge body mounted in connection with the tubing, a slip mounted in connection with the wedge body and adapted to be'expanded thereby into position to engage with the casing and suspend the tubing, a weight slidable upon the tubing beneath the slip.

"and a spring connected with the weight and slidable upon abru t fall of the tubing; said wedge body being provided with an enlargement having an opening, and the slip being provided with a stem extending through the opening into position to be arrested by the weight; the weight being capable normally of overcoming the frictional resistance of the spring.

4. The combination, with well casing, and a strin of tubing in the well casing; of a wedge ody mounted in connection with the tubing, a slip mounted in connectionwith the wedge body and adapted to be expanded thereby into position to engage with the casing and suspend the tubing,

the tubing beneath the slip and a spring connected with the weight an frictionally engaged with the casing; whereupon the slip will be held to wedge action by the temporarily arrested weight. upon abrupt fall of the tubing; said wedge body being provided with an enlargement having an eye, and the slip being provided with a stem extending through the eye into position to be arrested vby the weight; a ring I being slidably disposed upon the tubing above the weight, and the said stem being hooked loosely to the ring, whereby the ring is directly engaged in the arresting of the stem to hold the slip to wedge action.

5. The combination,with well casing, and a string of tubing in the well casing; of a wedge body mounted in connection with the tubing, a slip mounted in connection with the wedge body and adapted to be expanded thereby into position to engage with the casing and suspend the tubing, a weight slidable upon the tubing beneath the slip, and a spring connected with the weight and frictionally engaged with the casing; whereupon the slip will be held to wedge action by the temporarily arrested weight upon abrupt fall of the tubing; stop means being provided upon the tub-ing beneath the weight; said weight being normally capable of overcoming the frictional action of the spring.

6. The combination, with well casing, and

a string of tubing, in the well casing; of a -wedge body mounted in connection with the tubing, a slip mounted in connection with the wedge body and adapted to be expanded thereby into position to engage with the casing and suspend theTtubing, a weight slidable upon the tubing beneath the slip, and a spring connected wlth the weight and frictionally engaged with the casing; whereupon the slip will be held to wedge action by the temporarily arrested weight upon abrupt fall of the tubing; stop means being provided upon the tubing beneath the weight; said weight comprising a slip slidably surrounding the tubing; said weight being normally capable of overcoming the frictional action of the spring.

I 7 The combination, with well casing, and

a weight thereby into position to engage with the casing and suspend the tubing, a weight slidable upon the tubing beneath the slip, and a spring connnected'with the weight and frictionally engaged with the casing; whereupon the slip will be held to wedge action by the temporarily arrested weight upon abrupt fall of .the tubing; said wedge body being provided with an enlargement having an eye, and the slip being provided with a stem extending through the eye into position to be arrested clearance in said eye. v

8. The combination, with a well casing, and a string of tubing in the casing, of a wedge body mounted in connection with the tubing, slips mounted in connection with the wedge body so as to be expanded into engagement with the casin upon descent of the wedge body and tubing, and a weight surrounding the tubing beneath the slips, and provided with a spring bearing against the inner surface of the casing, to hold the slips in position and cause the wedge action thereof upon the abrupt descent of the tubing; said weight being normally capable of overcoming the frictional action of the spring.

9. he combination, with a well casing, and a string of tubing in the casing, of a wedge body mounted in connection with the tubing, slips mounted in connection with the wedge body so as to be expanded into engagement with the casing upon descent of the wedge body and tublng, and a weight surrounding the tubing beneath the slips, and provided with a spring bearing against the inner surface of the casing, to hold the slips in position and cause the wedge action thereof upon the abrupt descent of the tubing; stop means being rovided upon the tubing beneath the weig t; said weight being normally capable of overcoming the frictional action of the spring.

10. The combination, with a well casing, and a string of tubing in the well casing; o a wedge body mounted in connection with the tubing, a slip mounted in connection with the wedge body and adapted to be exby the weight; said stem having slidable upon the tubing beneath the slip,

there being a frictional relation between the weight and the casin the coefficient of which is normally insu cient to support the weight; said weight being'disposed in position to constrain the slip from downward movement upon an abrupt fall of the tubing and wedge thereon, and to thus act resultant upon frictional co-action of the weight and the casing to temporarily arrest the weight.

11. The combination, with a well casing, and a string of tubing for the well casing; of a wedge body mounted in connection with the tubing, a slip mounted in connection with the wedge body and adapted to be expanded thereby into position to engage with the casing 'and support the tubing, and a weight slidable upon the tubing beneath the slip and independent thereof, there being a frictional relation betweenthe weight and the casing, the coefficient of which isnor mally insufiicient to support the weight; said weight being disposed in positionto constrain the slip from downward movement upon an abrupt fall of the tubing and 1 wedge upon the tubing, and thus to act resultant upon frictional co-action of the weight and casing to temporarily arrest the fallhof the tubing and parts connected therewit In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM ,H. MoKISSICK.

Witnesses:

J. D. MoINTYRE,

Roy Dow. 

